US: Labour violations found in LA garment factories

Ten Los Angeles based garment contractors making clothes for retailers including Dillard's, Forever 21, Ross Stores and Urban Outfitters have been accused of serious labour violations.

The firms were inspected during a sweep of a single building in the Los Angeles Fashion District earlier this year by the US Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division and the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement.

Investigators found violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act's (FLSA) minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping provisions - including more than $326,200 owed in back wages to 185 employees.

America's Save Our Industries Act, also known as the SAVE Act, which would give a range of Philippines-made apparel duty-free access to the US, looks increasingly likely to be implemented. And the Fil...